Colchester Kidical Mass rally returns as mayor joins in

Youngsters arrived from noon at Firstsite where they could decorate their bikes and have their faces painted before starting off on a ride around the city, which started at 2pm on Saturday.

Decorations – kids enjoyed designing number plates for their bikes (Image: Eric Shaw)

Colchester mayor and mayoress John and Susan Jowers also got in on the action as they joined the ride round town in a rickshaw – a sort of two-wheeled cart which derives its name from the Japanese term for a ‘human powered vehicle’.

Dress-up – many riders rose to the occasion given it was a few days before Halloween (Image: Eric Shaw)

Kidical Mass events, which take place across the UK and Europe, are organised to promote safe cycling, scooting, and wheeling, and the activities are open to children, families, and adults.

Family – two youngsters are passengers in an e-cargo bike (Image: Eric Shaw)

Volunteers are often dotted along the route to help the event run smoothly, as participants get a feel for cycling on the city’s main roads safely and comfortably.

Happy – a young girl proudly shows 'CO2 Free' number plate (Image: Eric Shaw)

Organiser Jean Quinn, who helps put Kidical Mass rallies together alongside Kim and Simon Barnetson, said October’s event was another success and showed there is an appetite for cycling in Colchester.

Impressive – one youngster attached streamers to give his bike a distinctive look (Image: Eric Shaw)

She said: “We had 80 riders, and fortunately Firstsite let us have a room before the ride, so the children could do craft activities to decorate their bikes with number plates and flags, and enjoy some face painting.”

Involved – Mayor and Mayoress John and Susan Jowers got stuck in by riding a rickshaw (Image: Eric Shaw)

Mrs Quinn mentioned that as well as the mayor and mayoress of Colchester, councillors Fay Smalls and Mark Goacher also came along.

Keen – one young boy dressed to impress and decorated his bike too (Image: Eric Shaw)

“A lot of shoppers smiled and waved at us and we ended up at Castle Park with the traditional cake at the end of the event,” Mrs Quinn added.

Enthusiastic – riders enjoyed the good conditions and strong turnout on Saturday morning (Image: Eric Shaw)

“We were very pleased with the turnout of 80, and there were plenty of marshals to ensure a safe ride for the children – for a lot of them, it was the first time they had cycled on the road.”

Together – about 80 participants cycled down Colchester High Street (Image: Eric Shaw)

Mrs Quinn added that events such as Kidical Mass will, she hopes, highlight the need for 20mph roads, cycle paths, and safer roads for children in Colchester.